What Is the Sales by POS Report?
The Sales by POS report shows sales made through Shopify Point of Sale (POS), grouped by POS location. It helps merchants with physical stores compare sales performance without mixing in orders from other sales channels.
For a selected reporting period, each location can be reviewed using three fields: POS Location Name, Net Quantity, and Total Sales. This gives store managers a simple way to see where units are selling and where sales value is coming from.
The premade report is filtered to the Point of Sale sales channel. It is designed for location-level comparisons, not for identifying individual products, payment methods, or profit.
Report Overview
- Report period
- Choose the date range you want to review.
- Data included
- POS Location Name, Net Quantity, and Total Sales.
- Best for
- Comparing in-person sales across POS locations.
- Export options
- Excel, CSV, TXT, and PDF.
- Automation
- Schedule email delivery daily, weekly, or monthly, or use available configured destinations.
What Can You Learn from POS Location Sales?
1. Which location generates the most sales
Compare Total Sales by POS Location Name to see how each storefront contributes to the selected period.
Example: For example, the Downtown location could show higher Total Sales than the Mall location.
What you can do: Review what is working at the stronger location and investigate differences in staffing, hours, or traffic.
2. Where the most units are moving
Net Quantity highlights the location-level volume of items sold, which may differ from the ranking by Total Sales.
Example: For example, a kiosk might record more Net Quantity than a larger store.
What you can do: Use the difference to guide replenishment conversations and local store planning.
3. Whether sales value and unit volume tell different stories
Review Net Quantity beside Total Sales; a high total does not necessarily mean the most units were sold.
Example: For example, one branch may sell fewer units but record greater Total Sales.
What you can do: Investigate the mix of transactions or products with a more detailed report before drawing conclusions.
4. How location performance changes between periods
Run the same location-level report for different periods to detect shifts in the relative contribution of your stores.
Example: For example, a store could lead last month but fall behind this month.
What you can do: Compare equivalent date ranges and look for local operational changes.
What Should You Check First in This Report?
Start with the three reported fields, then apply the selected date range consistently.
Total Sales by location: Sort highest to lowest to see which POS locations contribute the most sales value.
Net Quantity by location: Identify high-volume and lower-volume storefronts without confusing quantity with revenue.
Location names: Check that each expected POS location appears and that the comparison includes the intended stores.
Date range and POS filter: Use comparable periods and confirm the sales channel remains Point of Sale.
When Should You Use This Report?
| When to Use It | How It Helps |
|---|---|
| Reviewing weekly in-person sales by location | Compare Total Sales and Net Quantity for in-person locations. |
| Checking a selected store’s sales performance | Review sales figures for the selected store within the chosen period. |
| Preparing location-level stock discussions | Use unit-volume patterns to prioritize deeper location-level stock checks. |
| Preparing a POS-location sales summary | Receive a consistent POS-location sales export for internal review; it is not a payout reconciliation. |
| Comparing stores during a monthly review | Compare locations using the same date range and definitions. |
How to Create This Report in Data Export
Start with the premade Sales by POS report rather than building the columns from scratch.
Open Data Export and find the premade Sales by POS report.
Open the report and review POS Location Name, Net Quantity, and Total Sales. Confirm the Sales Channel filter is set to Point of Sale.
Select the date range, then adjust any location filters or sorting you need.
Save the report, and export it in a suitable available format.
If useful, schedule delivery to approved recipients daily, weekly, or monthly.
Make the Most of This Report
Four small checks help make location comparisons more useful.
01 / PERIODS
Compare like with like: Use equivalent date ranges when assessing stores, especially if operating days vary.
02 / CHANNEL
Keep the POS filter: Excluding other sales channels avoids mixing online orders into a store-location comparison.
03 / QUANTITY
Read quantity carefully: Net Quantity represents net sold units, not current inventory or number of orders.
04 / SHARING
Share the right view: Send location-level reports to the relevant store team and reserve broader exports for authorized staff.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does this report include online store orders?
No. The supplied premade report is filtered by Sales Channel = Point of Sale, so it focuses on Shopify POS orders.
Can I compare different Shopify POS locations?
Yes. POS Location Name separates the results so you can compare Net Quantity and Total Sales for each location.
What does Net Quantity mean here?
It represents net item quantity in the report, rather than the number of transactions or current inventory. Check your store’s return treatment when interpreting the metric.
Does Total Sales show a store’s profit?
No. Total Sales is a sales measure; the default fields do not include product costs, fees, or profit.
Can I export or schedule the report?
The supplied Data Export guide lists Excel, CSV, TXT, and PDF exports and daily, weekly, or monthly email schedules. Available destinations depend on your setup.
